Muslim working as
a doctor in the kaafir army

Question

What is the ruling on working as a
doctor in the army of the kuffaar who are not in a state of war with the Muslims?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih
al-Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, with whom we had a conversation which is
summarized below:

Shaykh: Is this so that he may gain experience, or what?

- He is a doctor who is treating their sick, but they are not in
a state of war.

Shaykh: And they are not at war with the Muslims?

- It is possible that they may be at war with the Muslims in the
future.

Shaykh: We do not give the future precedence over the present
(i.e., we do not count on that or take it into consideration).

- This questioner says, 'I work in a place where the soldiers are
not fighting the Muslims. But it is possible that some of the army may be fighting them in
other places, and it is possible that we may be involved in such fighting in the future,
but the military bases where I work now are not involved in fighting against the
Muslims.

Shaykh: But is this nation (in which this army is) one of those
who are fighting the Muslims?

- The questioner is working for the American army, he is a Muslim
working in America.

Shaykh: Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): Allaah does not forbid you to deal justly and
kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you
out of your homes. Verily, Allaah loves those who deal with equity. [al-Mumtahinah
60:8].

- And what if they are not driving us out of our homes, but they
are helping others to do so, as mentioned in the next aayah?

Shaykh: It is only as regards those who fought you on
account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out,
that Allaah forbids you to befriend them [al-Mumtahinah 60:9
interpretation of the meaning].

- So if it is clear to him that these people are helping to drive
us out of our homes, for example, would working for them for a salary come under the just
and kind treatment mentioned in the aayah?

Shaykh: No doubt it does come under that heading.

- Even if you are working for money and not as a volunteer?

Shaykh: Yes, but they are benefitting from it.

- So how may we sum up your answer?

Shaykh: This is not permissible unless the nation in whose army
he is working is not fighting the Muslims.